DST – Pedro Martinez (1994 – 2004) – Brian Keane

Pedro Martinez (1994 – 2004)

From 1999 to 2004, Pedro Martinez was considered the best MLB Pitcher in the league. But, amongst many other teams and players he was hated. Dominican born and raised, Martinez came to the MLB in 1992, and he impacted the sport in both a positive and negative manner. It wasn’t until 1994, when his intense speed and antagonizing attitude surfaced as a Montreal Expo. From 1994 to 1997, Pedro recorded over 1,000 strikeouts and caused many bench clearings. Not two great matching stats you want. With the Red Sox, from 1998 to 2004, he didn’t change his attitude, but his pitching style and strength just angered other teams. In his seven year span as a Red Sox, Pedro was named a 3-time Cy Young Award winner, a 3-time AL Strikeout Champion, a 5-time ERA Champion, the 1999 All-Star Game MVP, a Triple Crown winner in 1999, and a 2004 World Series Champion. Pedro Martinez’s impact showed how he controlled the game of baseball, both mentally and physically. The fights he started, just angered opposing teams. But, what angered them more, were his countless strikeouts in single games. Pedro Martinez was, and is still, one of the best Dominican and world class Pitchers, ever.

In this DST, I decided to show clips of a few of Pedro Martinez’s highlighted fights in the MLB, and how they impacted him. I also included some video clips of Pedro’s greatest moments as a pitcher. I felt the best way to understand, and show his impact on the MLB wasn’t just by naming facts but showing how he acted and pitched the ball through videos. I have also included pictures and facts from over the years of 1994 to 2004. I thought of using Pedro Martinez, as a topic, one because I love the Red Sox but, two because he was and is still one of the best Dominican Pitchers in the MLB and impacted the game of baseball. I really enjoyed this project, using pictures and researching video clips was so much more knowledgable than just writing out a research paper. I learned a lot more about Pedro Martinez from the early part of his career, that I probably would never have known if I didn’t research and watch video clips.

Organized Violence in Soccer – Brian Keane

In sports, violence is something that comes with the territory around the sport. Whether it be the athletes or the fans, violence happens. Although, it occurs because of the passion and pride fans and players have towards their team. Sometimes the violence may not take place in a fist fight, rather a yelling of words or mocking. Just trying to get the other person going. But if it escalates, especially between soccer fans, violence overcomes.

In the Football, Violence and Social Identity article, the section labeled “1983: Organized Fan Violence, rings a familiar bell. Team’s fans ganged up on other team’s fans, putting them down and egging them on. “…Quilmes fans who composed one of the most humiliating versus about Boca fans: You need two things; To be a Boca fan: A shack in a shantytown; And a Chamame longplay. This refers clearly to the characteristics of the stereotypical Boca fan: he is from Paraguay rather than Argentina, and he lives in a slum.” This quote describes very easy ways to agitate other fans, and get the other fans to fight.

This article reminds me of the movie, Green Street Hooligans. The West Ham Football Club’s soccer firm goes around fighting other teams “firm.” They’re loyal to their team and they’ll fight for it, to the point they feel more on the team then a fight club. And no matter what the police do, the fighting will happen. “Boca fans resorted to the commonest of rues: they left the ‘lightweights’ in the stands… the ‘heavies’, the good warriors, left carefully… They patiently circled the stadium and penetrated enemy territory.” I found this odd, because true soccer/football fans would never leave a match early. You are suppose to be loyal to the team. I feel that this violence was not so much about the soccer team, but rather being a fan of a team just to have an excuse to cause violence.

Citizens & Sportsmen – Brian Keane

The book Citizens & Sportsmen, by Brenda Elsey, was written to show how the most popular sport around the world, impacted people throughout different countries. Soccer, or futbol, as it is better know as in Latin American countries, plays an even bigger role within the people, politics, and the economy. Elsey’s book focuses its attention on the South American country, Chile. It displays that soccer is not only a sport to Chileans, but a way of life.

Through the history of soccer in Chile, it grew more and more since the 1800s. Its popularity through the Chileans grew, as well as in a political factor. Soccer seemed to be the lifestyle between people and politics. Political influence was gained through the specific “Futbol Club” one belonged or cheered for. Today, many soccer players in Chile are retiring their careers and heading into politics. This shows not only did politics influence fans, but also players.

In the United States, this really is not the case with sports. I though this was an interesting read because it showed how sports, specifically soccer, was literally a lifestyle not just a win or a loss. Maybe in time that will happen, as we have noticed Barack Obama displaying his NCAA Bracket picks on ESPN, recently. But, the book Citizens & Sportsmen displayed a great message on how a sport can be a huge aspect in people’s lives, country, and political influence.

Sugarball Book Review

Throughout United States history, in certain decades, all Americans have been jealous over foreign or racial talents in sports. The book, Sugarball, by Alan Klein expresses some of these issues between the Dominican Republic and the United States. To this day, it is pretty noticeable that baseball is no longer America’s past time. When the ball gets batted down to third base and Beltre turns a double play to Andrus, who then throws to Fielder at first base, it sure does not sound American to me. It sounds more Spanish. That has what baseball has come to though. It would not be the “World Series” if it was only the best players in the United States were paying. Instead, it would be called the “American Series.” 

In the Dominican Republic, boys are literally breed into baseball. Klein even states, that females are born with a pink bow, while male infants are given baseball gloves. To the people of the Dominican, baseball is a way of life. It is a sport that represents the culture. Alan Klein talks more of the Dominican Republic players, saying that it is harder to play in the Dominican now than in the United States. The Major League Baseball teams and fans have accepted players from other counties, specifically in the Latin American region, as their own. But, this does not seem the way it is in the Dominican Republic.

Sugarball argues that many Americans in the Dominican Republic are destroying their national sport on their own land. Klein believes this segregation in baseball is occurring in order to control the amount of foreign players into the MLB. He believes that big league teams are only seeking talent in the Dominican for their own personal riches, instead for the love of the game. The book even stated, that some baseball teams in the Dominican would only allow U.S. players on the team if pitchers stayed under one hundred innings a season, while at bats needed to be under a .250 average. In my opinion, I would agree that baseball has become more powerful and dominate in other Latin American countries, like the Dominican Republic, than in the United Sates. Granted the U.S. has the money to make the Major League teams, but the love of the game through childhood and beyond is much stronger.

The Passion of the Fan – Week 2 (Brian Keane)

There is a clear distinction between fans in the United States versus sports fans in Latin American countries. Of course the United States has sport fanatics; the people who bleed the colors of their teams. But, it is not the state or the country as a whole that has that passion. In Janet Lever’s Soccer Madness, “fans are not passive spectators; they influence the outcome of games and the management of clubs.” In the United States, those passive spectators are known as ‘bandwagon fans.’ People who start watching their team when they playoffs come around or when they start winning consecutive games. “Brazilian fans control the game – both on and off the field – by their dedication and expressions of caring for their favorite team.”

In Latin American countries, you do not favor a player on another team but your own. You don’t like Lebron James because he is the best. You despise him because he’s not on your team. You cheer for your team and your team only, no matter the outcome of a anything. The role of a spectator/fan is to assume full passion and dedication to a specific team; that being your hometown or home city. “Fans assume the responsibility of giving their teams the strength of the numbers, and face to face rivalry between two fan groups…” Lever’s reading, in some ways slapped the U.S. in the face, saying our fans are better than yours. To be honest, it is true. No matter if the sport is soccer or football.

Latin American countries look at soccer and the teams they favor as a religion. They completely surround themselves in that team and have the passion to prove that their team is better than any other. That their fans are better. While the United States would rather surround themselves around who is performing at halftime during the Super Bowl. But, that is how the United States has depicted themselves around sports. It seems that the role of the spectator in the U.S. is looked at more around the culture of the sport rather than the team.

Brian K

Hey guys, my name is Brian Keane. I am a student-athlete senior, here at UMBC, on the UMBC Swimming & Diving team. My major is Environmental Studies with a focus towards Environmental Policy. I found this course very interesting because I am a huge sports fan. I love learning about the history of different sports. Soccer (futbol) and Baseball (beisbol) are two sports I love. I am from Boston, so natural I am a huge Red Sox fan and other Boston sports fan. Most of my knowledge and history of sports comes from the United States, but I do have a good amount of knowledge in the Latin American and Caribbean countries, especially with Baseball.